If this is true, what else is true

In improv, the actors are discovering the scene at the same time as the audience.

Live.

Everyone is seeing it for the first time in that very moment.

The key to success on-stage: everything your scene partner says is true.

This trust between actors helps you build the scene.

If your scene partner says you are in Paris, then you are in Paris.

If one actor negates the other, it breaks down the reality and confuses the audience.

This relates strongly to the key tenet of improv: ‘yes, and.’ More on this in the future…

This can be summed up with the statement: “If this is true, what else is true?“

Goal

• Develop your Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and read between the lines

Example

If someone says: “I really want to have a cheeseburger for dinner.” 🍔 

What else might be true?

• This person is hungry

• You are having dinner with them tonight

• They are not vegan

Let’s try it with a work phrase: “Our pre-orders are up from last week.” 📈 

What else might be true?

• Something happened this week, such as a marketing campaign

• We need to ensure we can fulfill this increased demand

• There might be an increase in support emails

Just like work…

Statements rarely exist within a vacuum. You can learn a lot about people from listening!

Having high EQ can help you identify the root of what someone is saying. This is incredibly important when talking to important stakeholders like customers.

If this is true: People want faster horses.

What else is true? People need some way to get from point A to point B quickly.

Thank you for reading,

Tyler